The most helpful favourable review

The most helpful critical review

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 starsAbsolutely Delightful
We recently added to our family with a puppy who quickly proved more than a match for her erstwhile "owners". In a vain attempt to keep up with her machinations, we acquired this book about what dogs "see, smell and know." It unquestionably gave us a much deeper understanding of what makes the puppy tick. That said, she still runs circles around her family with effortless...

3.0 out of 5 starsInside of a Dog not as Inside as I thought
Not a bad read but I found it quite slow is spots. It didn't really illuminate too much with regard to my four legged friend but there were some chapters which gave me more insight into why my dog acts a certain way. Most of her actions/behaviours I already understood. Some chapters spent more time on the various studies already conducted, the results, and the author's...

We recently added to our family with a puppy who quickly proved more than a match for her erstwhile "owners". In a vain attempt to keep up with her machinations, we acquired this book about what dogs "see, smell and know." It unquestionably gave us a much deeper understanding of what makes the puppy tick. That said, she still runs circles around her family with effortless ease. We have come to understand that she is training us, as in "Give me a treat whenever I bring the red ball and drop it at your feet." Or "please make a point of picking up my poop." Or "Ignore what the label on the bag of puppy chow says. I wish to be fed three times a day."A charming and insightful book by a dog-lover who has applied her scientific understanding to her close companions and shared the results with us.

This review is from: Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know (Paperback)

We have 2 dogs that are very different.Sometimes it is difficult to interpret the signals they are sending.This book looks into a dog's psyche and his unique abilities.It points out why they behave as they do.All of this creates a better understanding and a tighter bond with the dog.I never appreciated my dog 's capabilities as much until I read this.

This review is from: Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know (Paperback)

Not a bad read but I found it quite slow is spots. It didn't really illuminate too much with regard to my four legged friend but there were some chapters which gave me more insight into why my dog acts a certain way. Most of her actions/behaviours I already understood. Some chapters spent more time on the various studies already conducted, the results, and the author's reinforcement of why these studies are inconclusive. This would probably help new dog owners more but I've had dogs for almost my entire life so maybe I've gained more experience with them than I had thought.

This review is from: Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know (Paperback)

Ms. Horowitz's book, a composite of scientific fact and personal experience with her own dog (Pump), is highly readable, informative, and entertaining. She avoids jargon, which allows her point to get across more easily. She gives good examples to illustrate her points, all of which are backed up by her own, and others', exhaustive (but still developing) research. As a dog owner, my point of view definitely has changed for the better, as I have come to understand more of my dog's behaviours and his own worldview ("umwelt"). After the last "dog lover's" book (Marley and Me...which I received as a gift TWICE...) failed to provide anything more than a series of minimally humorous anecdotes about an ill-behaved and ill-fated canine, this book is a breath of fresh air. It helps to dispel the conflicting pseudo-empirical "pack mentality" (and the like) hogwash bombarding the naive public. "Inside of a Dog" doesn't pander to dog idol worshippers, nor does it lend credence to the cynical "it's just a dog" mentality. Better than either glorifying or devaluing man's best friend, it sets out to explain him. A must read for anyone who's ever loved, owned, or simply wondered about dogs.

This review is from: Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know (Paperback)

This book can be a delight or a disappointment, depending on what the reader's expectations are prior to reading it. As a dog owner who loves my pet, I approached this book expecting that the author would explain all the strange, weird and wonderful behaviour of my four-legged best friend. But as author Alexandra Horowitz points out, dogs are as individual as people are, and while we are capable of concluding sweeping generalities (such as how a dog's primary sense isn't sight, but smell), much depends on a dog's breed, life experience and environment to explain a lot of canine behaviour. Still, the author paints a picture of what a dog's eye view of the world looks like and instills in the reader a consciousness about what it must be like to be a dog: seeing the world from a lower vantage point, being led by one's nose. The author is a skilled observer of doggy-style behaviour, with good insight into their play, their interaction with other dogs and of their cognitive functioning. She explains how a dog sees the world, not in black and white as a popular misconception states, but through a different spectrum than humans. The reader will not come away with a complete understanding of why their dogs act the way they do, but he or she will learn things about dogs that he or she didn't know before.

The delight in this book comes from how the author's love of her subject is so apparent. She writes with a light-hearted passion for her subject matter. She gives some amusing yet practical advice about how to name one's dog, and makes a compelling argument in praise of mutts over purebreds. The last chapter about the author's relationship with her own dog (named Pumpernickel, or Pump for short) is especially touching and will probably cause most dog lovers to shed a tear. The author's love of her subjects comes through powerfully in this book.

The reader's enjoyment of this book will be affected by the reader's expectations. Those hoping that the book contains the hidden key to understanding their own pet will likely experience disappointment. But those looking for an enjoyable read about our canine companions, with a scientific bent but without all the answers about why their dog acts like it does, will be very satisfied.

As a one dog first time owner this was an interesting book. A little too heavy on the references and footnotes, kind of like a grad student thesis. Good insight into what and how dogs see and smell, mixed with her observations of her own pet. Overall theme is to not to try and put human behavior and emotions onto dogs, just enjoy them for what they are. Roger that!

This review is from: Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know (Paperback)

I really enjoyed reading this book to gain a better understanding of my newly adopted dog's behavioural "issues." Though this isn't meant to be a training manual a la Cesar Milan, it made me realize how/why/what my dog was trying to communicate. I definitely believe that dogs have extraordinary senses, and I'm not just talking about their sense of smell! They just "know" when something's not right, or when you're sick or even just down in the dumps. I would have given the book 5 stars but it really dragged (for me) in the middle. But I'd still highly recommend it for anyone who loves dogs and wants to understand them better!

This review is from: Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know (Paperback)

Ethology of the dog brain - one of Horowitz's conclusions is that we can't know everything about our dog. Woof.But it's a fun ride getting there, watching her science brain tangle with her sentimental heart.Science wins, and along the way Cesar Milan's Gospel of the Pack gets a scientific reality check. Just the Pack part, though.Would it be safe to say I've got a dog-eared copy?

This review is from: Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know (Paperback)

An excellent book, amply fulfilling its title. Horowitz the scientist writes with accuracy, affection and style. I have lived with dogs for more than a half-century, yet I had my dog-knowledge confirmed and amplified through this book. I hope for more.